Transitional car coupling



Oct. 26, 1926.

E. P. KINNE TRANS I'IfI ONAL CAR COUPLING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July21. 1924 E. P. KINNE TRANSITIONAL CAR COUPLING Filed July 21. 1924Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Get. 26, 1926.

fi rii'lE r as EDMUND KIIINE, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICANSTEEL FOUNDEZES, OF CHICAGO, ILLENGIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TRANSITIONAL CAR COUPLING.

Application filed July 21,

This invention relates to transitional car couplings for use on foreigncars during the period in which couplings for such foreign cars arechanged from the hook and chain coupling to the standard M. C. B.coupling.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable, andefficient transitional car coupling in which the parts cooperate in asimple and efiicie-nt manner.

Another object is to provide a transitional car coupling adapted to meetthe various re quirements under service conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangementsdisclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which- Figure l isa fragmentary top plan view of the ends of adjacent cars, one equippedwith a foreign coupling and the other with a standard M. C. B. couplinghaving attached thereto transitional coupling mechanism for cooperatingwith said foreign couplin Figure 2 is a fragn'ientary side elevation ofthe same, end sills being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view somewhat similar to that shownin Figure l, but showing two standard M. C. B. couplers coupledtogether, one being attached to each car, the auxiliary couplingmechanism being swung away into an inoperative position and locked.

*igure i is a fragmentary top plan view of a coupler provided with myauxiliary tachment shown in a position as the auxiliary coupler memberis tightening the chain and being swung toward its operative positioninto association with the knuckle of the standard coupler.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the coupling mechanism similar to thatshown in Figure 4-, but showing the auxiliary transitional couplingmember in a more advanced position toward the knuckle.

Figure 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the auxiliary transitionalcoupling member showing its pivotal connection with the head of thecoupler.

Figure '1' is a front elevation of the same auxiliary transitionalcoupling member.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the same transitional coupling member.

The various novel features of my inven- 1924-. Serial No. 727,152.

tion will be apparent from the following descrlptlon and drawings, andwill be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawing, it will be noted that there isdisclosed the ends 1.0 and 11 of two adjacent cars provided with theusual buffers 12 which are used on foreign roads where hook and chainconnections are used. The car 11 is provided with such a couplingconnection, includ ing a hook 13 and a chain including links ll, 15, and16, the first of which links is pivotally secured as at 1 to portion ofthe hook 1.3. The other car is provided with the standard M. C. B.coupler having a head 18 with a pivotally connected knuckle 19. horn 33of the head 18 has formed integrally therewith two outstanding andspaced cars 20 with vertically aligned openings 21 for the reception ofa vertical pivot pin 22, by means of which the auxiliary transitionalcoupling member is pivotally attached to the coupler head.

This transitional coupling member having a general T-shape in plan view,includes a main body portion 23 having integrally formed therewith andextending laterally therefrom two ear members 24 at one end the crosspiece of the T which car members straddle the cars 20 and havevertically aligned openings 25 also for the reception of the pivot pin22. Extendinglaterally from the main body portion 23 of the auxiliarycoupling member is a centrally arranged arm 34 forming the stem of the Twhich, when in operative position, engages the knuckle 19 at the rearthereof, whereby the arm 3% is held in a locked position. As shown inFigures 1 and 2, the middle or short link 15 of the chain is hooked overthe arm 34 for completing the coupling connection between the two cars10 and 11. It will be understood that if the two adjacent cars wereequipped with the foreign type of coupling, the chain link 16 on one carwould be hooked over the hook 13 on the adjacent car, but when one ofthe cars is equipped with a standard M. C. B. coupling, the entirelength of the chain is not required. The auxiliary coupling member 23also is provided with a relatively large vertically arranged handle 26whereby said auxiliary coupling member may be read ily moved between itsoperative and inoperative positions. This handle is located at a Thepoint quit-e remote from the pivot pin 22, whereby considerable leverageis afforded for taking the slack out of the associated coupling chain,as, for example, when the auxiliary coupling member is moved from aposition shown in Figure l to a position shown in Figure 5, during whichtime the auxiiiary coupling member is being swung into operativeassociation with the knuckle ot the standard M. C. 13. coupler. Touncoupie cars equipped with the couplers, as shown in Figures 1 and 2,it is merely necessary to permit the operation of knuckle 19 in theusual manner, whereupon as one car pulls away 'from the other, theauxiliary coupling member will move from the position shown in Figure lto a position shown in Figure 5, and then to a position shown in Figure6i, and a little further movement will cause disengagement oi the link15 from the arm llhe auxiliary coupling arm 3% is provided with a slightcurved depression 27 for engaging a corresponding curved surface 28 oi,the knuckle 19 whereby suriace contactbe tween the two parts in questionis increas d.

As shown in Figure 3, he auxniary transitional coupling member'in eachcase is swung to an inoperative position and locked in such position bya spring-pressed plunger slidably mounted in a projection 30 also formedintegrally with the main body portion of said coupling member. Theplunger 29 cooperates with an opening or pocket 31 formed in the horn ofthe coupler. The plunger is provided with a handle portion whereby itmay be easily and quickly operated.

l3 means of this auxiliary transitional coupling member, adjacent cars,one of which in standard M. B. coupling and the other a foreign couplingmen'iber, may he quickly and easily attached, and also when such carsare both equipped with standard M. C. B. couplings the transitionalcoupling member may be quickly swung into an inoperative position andlocked there.

- shown in Figure 1, it will be noted that .10 i ght-hand buffer 12,which is connected re the car having the :toreign coupling, is extended,while the lett-hand buffer 12 has had its spring TCHlOVGCl because thatcar is pro vided with a standard M. C. B. coupling. As shown in Figure3, the springs in both the butl'ers 12 have been removed.

It is my intention to cover all modifications of the invention fallingwithin the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In transitional car coupling mechanism, the combination of an lil C.B. coupler having a head and a pivotally mounted knuckle, andanauxiliary T-shaped coupling member having one end of its cross piecepivotally connectedto said head and having its stem attachable to thechain oi the foreign cou pler and held in closed position by saidknuckle, said auxiliary coupling membehaving a. handle formed at theother end oi the cross piece of the l whereby said auxiliary couplingmember may be operated and the slackness of said chain *aried.

2. in transitionalcar coupling mechanism, the combination of an M. C. B.coupler having a head and a pivotally mounted knuckle, an auxiliaryit-shaped coupling member having one end of its cross piece pivotallyconnected to said head and having its stein attachable to the chain ofthe foreign coupler and held in closed position by said knuckle, saidauxiliary coupling member having a handle formed at the other end of thecross piece of the T whereby said. auxiliary coupling member may beoperated and the slackness of said chain varied, and means whereby saidauxiliary COUplillg iiien'iher may be releasably locked in inoperativeposi tion.

3. As an article 01" manufacture, an auxilia y T-shaped coupling memberhaving an arm forming the stem of the T attachable to the chain of aforeign car coupler, pivotal attaching means at one end of the crosspiece of the 'l','and a handle at the other end the cross piece by meanso'l which said member may be operated.

a. As an article of manufacture, an auxiliary "l shaped coupling memberhaving. an arm forming the stem of the T extending at one angleattachable to a chain oi a eign car coupler, a pivotal attach a t oneend 01" the cross piece of the 'i' e at another angle, and an operatingl.. V f the other end of the cross piece formed in part extending atanother angle whereby said member may be operated.

Signed at Alliance, Ohio, 1 3th day oi July, 1924.

EDMUND P. KINNE.

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